Senators May Have Blown Cover of CIA Agent

[Snivi Yllom]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050412/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bolton_analyst_1

By ANNE GEARAN, AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON - Mr. Smith came to Washington again Monday, as an alias for a Central Intelligence Agency officer who works covertly. Senators, however, may have blown his cover.

During questioning on John R. Bolton's nomination to be President Bush's ambassador to the United Nations, Bolton and members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee referred to "Mr. Smith" as one official among several who were involved in a dispute over what Democrats asserted was Bolton's inappropriate treatment of an intelligence analyst who disagreed with him.

"We referred to this other analyst at the CIA, whom I'll try and call Mr. Smith here, I hope I can keep that straight," Bolton said at one point. Committee Chairman Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., both mentioned a name, Fulton Armstrong, that had not previously come up in public accounts of the intelligence flap. It is not clear whether Armstrong is the undercover officer, but an exchange between Kerry and Bolton suggests that he may be.

.......................snip............................

The media whores are quick to jump on this. Hopefully it did not happen, but if it did.....watch the outrage and attacks from the right

[blogbear]

1. Oh, now..if our Senators weren't blowing an undercover officer..

it would be someone else..

[Up2Late]

2. But, who said it first? Lugar or Kerry?

Most likely it won't matter, if it was Lugar, the MSM Whores will say, "Well, Senator Kerry didn't have to REPEAT it! If he hadn't repeated it, it would have gone away.":crazy:

[htuttle]

3. The NIO positions and personnel are all listed on the CIA's website

http://www.cia.gov/nic/NIC_personnel.html

For example, Joanna Wallace is the current NIO for Latin America (the position in question that Fulton Armstrong held):

Joanna Wallace (Acting)
National Intelligence Officer for Latin America

Joanna Wallace has served with the National Intelligence Council since October 2003. Previously Ms. Wallace served as a Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council (2000-2003).

Since 1973, Ms. Wallace has served in a variety of analytical and managerial positions covering Latin America. She also has served with the CIA's Office of Legislative Liaison and as a manager and instructor in intelligence analysis and management training programs.

Ms. Wallace earned her B.A. from the University of Redlands, an M.A. in Latin American Studies from California State University Los Angeles, and an M.A. in Economics from George Mason University.

I don't think it's classified information, if it is, it probably shouldn't be on the CIA's website...

I have no idea why they were calling Fulton Armstrong 'Mr Smith' at one point. :shrug:

[MADem]

5. OK, this is a sign, foks, that the GOP is totally LOSING it

Or they are so stupid that they actually think that them there internets is a classified source!

This is the funniest thing I have read today!

[sandnsea]

4. Debunked

Late Update: Let me be clear about this: Senators Kerry and Lugar said nothing new by mentioning Armstrong’s name.

The Washington Times-owned Insight on the News identified Armstrong as the NIO who was “coordinating” Bolton’s speech in September 2002.
The New York Times published a story about efforts by Otto Reich to pressure Armstrong in January 2003.

A Wall Street Journal opinion piece accused Armstrong of a “lackadaisical approach to a mounting body of disturbing evidence” about threats to the United States from Cuba and Venezuela in March 2003.

Salon mentioned Armstrong, again by name, as an analyst who had been smeared as ” somehow under the influence of the Cuban government” in January 2004.

Senator Lugar—according to my transcript—opened the hearing by announcing:

Now, staff has in fact interviewed Mr. Westerman; Carl Ford, who will be appearing before the committee, as I understand, tomorrow morning at our hearing at 9:30; Mr. Fred Flights (ph), the Bolton special assistant who might know something about this; Tom Fingar, the INR principal deputy assistant secretary at the time; Fulton Armstrong, national intelligence officer for Latin America at the NIC at the time; Stuart Cohen, Mr. Armstrong’s supervisor at the NIC at that time.

Later, Chris Dodd suggested there was something untoward about mentioning Armstrong’s name and everyone played along with the ridiculous “Mr. Smith” charade until Kerry read Armstrong’s name in a transcript.

Even later update: Anne Gearan, AP Diplomatic Writer, should be ashamed of this paragraph:

Committee Chairman Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., both mentioned a name, Fulton Armstrong, that had not previously come up in public accounts of the intelligence flap.

Other than the four that I cited, she means. - http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/index.php?id=535

[MADem]

6. send them a note, peeps

[e-mail]

The new Talon News???

[LittleClarkie]

8. Done

They'd better correct that.

[sandnsea]

9. Mine came back

Did yours? :shrug:

[LittleClarkie]

10. Not so far

Here's hoping.

[paineinthearse]

7. Thank you

An ounce of debunk is worth a ton of scandal down the road. Not that "outing" a CIA agent is a federal crime :shrug: